


timeless flight

by onlykaspbrakk



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: M/M, Time Loop
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:47:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29117019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlykaspbrakk/pseuds/onlykaspbrakk
Summary: Johnny gets stuck in a time loop
Relationships: Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence
Comments: 25
Kudos: 84





	1. december 20, 1984. take one

**Author's Note:**

> sorry short chapter just to get this story set up basically, hope you all enjoy it though!

Johnny wakes up, choking on air. 

It’s early, too early, he knows because the light is barely creeping into his bedroom. He wishes more than anything to go back to sleep, but he can’t. Everytime he closes his eyes he can feel the phantom of a limb tightening around his neck. Even when he’s awake, he can’t escape it. His neck is sore, and he feels like burying himself under his blankets with his headphones and a cassette. 

LaRusso gets the girl, and he gets the trophy, and Johnny gets choked out in a parking lot. Cutting his hands on glass from broken car windows. 

Johnny doesn’t even know what he’s going to tell his mom about why his hands are covered in gross looking cuts he had to pull glass out of and why he sounds like he’s smoked 2 packs a day for years (He’s hoping that goes away. If he has to sound like some kind of nicotine addict for the rest of his life he might never speak again. Sure, he’s smoked his fair share of cigarettes but not enough to do this to him. The rasp is all Kreese). 

He can’t come up with a believable lie, and if he tells the truth she’ll worry. She always worries about him, and he appreciates it, it feels good to have someone fussing about him, but he doesn’t want her to blame herself for this, for not being at the tournament. 

The time is passing, and he knows he has to get up at some point. His mom is probably up by now, cooking breakfast. They have chefs, but his mom likes to make breakfast for them, it makes her feel closer to her roots or something. If he isn’t going to sleep, he should get up, help her cook, to take his mind off of it all. 

So he rolls out of bed ignoring the dull pain in his neck, and he pulls on a hoodie and pajama pants he found on the floor. He stops in the bathroom, brushing his teeth and running a hand through his hair. It was long, and he liked it that way, but it caused some problems with being able to see. Maybe he should cut it some. He did his best to wash his hands but it stung. They didn’t look as bad as they did yesterday, he probably only had about 5 total cuts, but fuck did the ones he have sting under the soap. Driving home was way worse, he probably got blood on his steering wheel. Fuck. 

When he made his way downstairs, he came to find he was right, his mom was in the kitchen making pancakes, “Hey, you’re up early, how’d the fight go?”

Johnny shrugged, pushing himself up to sit on the counter, “Okay.”

“Well? Did you win?” She flipped the pancake.

“No. Second place though.”

She turned to look at him, “Are you feeling okay? You sound a little,” she gestured to her throat. 

“Yeah, fine. Just tired.”

She looked like she didn’t believe him, that was fine, she didn’t need to. 

She finished up with breakfast, calling Sid downstairs to eat. Johnny wished it could have been just him and his mom, but when was it ever. Sid always had to come around and ruin everything for him. 

“So Johnny, when’s your next practice? Are they giving you some time off?”

“Um, I’m not going back.”

His mom didn’t even get a word in before Sid slammed his silverware down, “What the fuck! You think you can waste my damn money?”

“Sid-” 

“No! Stop sticking up for him! He can take care of himself!”

“He’s my son!”

And they were screaming at each other again, and Johnny was slipping on his headphones to drown it out. Some things never changed.

Some part of him feels like he deserves this, all of this. He was the one who was fucking with LaRusso for no good reason. He was the one who lost the tournament. Who else could be blamed but himself? 

He wishes he could fix everything. Apologize. Something. Anything.


	2. december 20, 1984. take two

Johnny wakes up, choking on air.

Same dream as yesterday and by the looks of it, same time too. He sighed, throwing an arm over his face. Fuck. He knows it will get better eventually because it has too or Johnny doesn’t know what he’s going to do about anything. 

Thankfully, his mom didn’t press after he said he wasn’t going back to karate, but he thinks that has more to do with Sid yelling at him than anything else. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go back either, he’d give anything to go back, but he was kicked out. That was worse than if he quit, because this was out of his control and it made him feel like he was spiraling. 

Now that he isn’t taking karate, Sid is going to make him think about college, and he has no idea what he’s doing there either. 

Last year everything seemed so simple. He was winning the All Valley, he had a girlfriend and he wasn’t lying in bed after waking up from a nightmare that was more of a memory. 

He’s not going to work on that progress shit if he doesn’t get out of bed though. He figures that yesterday went well enough that he can go downstairs with his mom again. He liked to spend every chance she got with her, even if it wasn’t a lot. So he got out of bed, pulling on a pair of pajama pants and a sweatshirt, and heading downstairs. 

His mom was in the kitchen, making pancakes. 

“Didn’t you make pancakes yesterday?” 

“What? No, are you feeling okay?” She reached out to lay a hand on his forehead, “You’re not warm.” 

“I’m not sick, I just thought-” He didn’t think, he knew for a fact that’s what they had for breakfast yesterday. 

“It’s okay baby, you’re probably just tired. So, how’d the tournament go?” 

Johnny knows for a fact he told her all of this yesterday, so why was she asking again? 

“Uh, it was fine. What day is it?” 

“Thursday? The 20th? Are you sure you’re feeling okay? Why don’t you go lay down?”

“Okay. Good idea.” 

Johnny made his way back upstairs. He had to be halunaticting or dreaming or something, because he was not doing some weird time travel shit, that happened in movies. Not in his life. 

If Johnny was freaking out before, he was definitely freaking out now. Just Johnny’s luck, not only is he reliving days, it just has to be the day where his neck hurts and his hands sting. God. What was Johnny going to do about this? If he called one of his friends they’d think he’s crazy, but if he does this alone he’ll actually lose his mind. 

But this isn't happening. This was just a fucked up dream. Maybe Kreese choking him messed with his brain and caused him to see shit. Maybe he should go to the hospital. 

But then he’d have to tell the truth about what happened. Because he was a minor and couldn’t go to the hospital alone. Johnny wasn’t even sure if he should be driving right now, though that never really stopped him before. 

Johnny didn’t really think an injury could make you predict the future, but he wasn’t a doctor. What did he know?

Johnny decided he would call Bobby. Bobby knew more about most things than Johnny did, he could probably help Johnny figure this out. 

“Oh my God. What?” 

“Did I wake you up?”

“Johnny. It’s 8 in the morning. Of course you woke me up.”

“Oh sorry. I need help.”

“Of course you do, what is it this time.”

In all honesty, Johnny forgot about the time, but he only feels a little bad about it. This was important.

“Do you think like, not being able to breathe can make you see the future or something?”

Johnny could hear Bobby sigh, “Johnny. Listen, I love you man, and I get that you're upset and everything, but dude. You sound off your rocker right now.”

“I know, it’s just. I swear to god today already happened but yesterday. I feel like I’m losing my mind, man.”

“It was probably just a fucked up dream, don’t worry too much about it, okay?”

“Okay. Talk to you later.”

“You too.”

Johnny slid down the wall and covered his face with his hands. 

He doesn’t know what’s going on and Bobby doesn’t believe him. 

Maybe this is just a fluke, or a weird dream, or maybe he actually died in the parking lot or in his sleep and is now being forced to atone for his sins in some weird fucked up way.

Johnny decides if tomorrow is the same day again, he’s going to find a way to fix it. He is not spending years trapped on some random day in December.


	3. december 20, 1984. take three

Johnny wakes up choking on air.

He groans. Same dream, same time, same fucking day. If he was going to be living the same day over and over why couldn’t it have been one where he sleeps in and not one where he wakes up at the ass crack of dawn. It’s only been three days and he was already fed up with it. He had to get out of here, and fast. 

Unfortunately, he had no ideas. He briefly considers breaking something, or throwing himself out the window. Whichever releases stress quicker. The problem with jumping is that he might not wake up from that, and Johnny values his life and would very much like to wake up again. So, that’s off the list. The only thing left is to break something. He picks up the lamp sitting on his bedside table and throws it across the room. 

It doesn’t help much, all it does is put glass and ceramic on his floor, which actually makes the situation worse, because now it's going to get stuck in his feet when he tries to leave his room. At least they’d match his hands. He holds his left hand up, most of the cuts were small, but there was a huge one right down his palm, he might need stitches when all this is said and done. He hadn’t noticed before. Today, well yesterday that’s also today. Whatever. His yesterday, he was too busy worrying about the fact that he was reliving days. And the day before he was worrying about his mom finding out and his fucked up neck and voice, but now he really has time to look over all his injuries. He’s never really done that before. When he gets hurt, he always writes it away as being fine. To avoid being weak. It was exactly what Kreese had taught them. But Kreese wasn’t here now, Johnny was on his own in this. If he wanted to fuss over himself for once, no one would know. Sue him for giving a shit about himself for once. 

He still had no clue what he was going to do about this time thing, but with the way things are going, he guesses he had some time to figure it out. Not like he was going anywhere. 

Johnny didn’t have many ideas right now anyway. He was never very good at school. That was always Ali’s thing. Fuck, Ali was probally with LaRusso right now, spent the night or whatever. 

Even if she wouldn’t say it, she had a thing for winners, and karate. He would know, considering it was him once upon a time. Johnny could admit, they were a strange couple. They constantly got told they looked like siblings, and neither of them were really into blondes, anyway. But, they worked, even if they were running on a timer. Nice while it lasted, not so nice after. He wishes he was drunk. Even if it was 8 in the morning. He might as well be, if this is how his however long this shit last is going to go. 

Him waking up not being able to breathe, feeling sorry for himself, his mom and Sid fighting, going to bed and the cycle repeats. Well, not if he doesn’t go downstairs. Not if he doesn’t stick around for breakfast. 

Johnny had plenty to do in his room anyway, all his music was in here and all of his magazines. If he absolutely needed to he could go to the beach, or to Bobby’s. 

He felt bad about ignoring his mom all day, but if this is what had to be done to change the day, it’s what had to be done. 

He picked out a cassette and a magazine and read it until he got bored, which wasn’t long. It was a car magazine, and if Johnny was being honest the only car he really cared about was his own. Sure, sometimes they helped him keep the car nice but generally they were just boring. And Johnny didn’t have the biggest attention span. Ali told him that it was probably because of Hyperkinetic Impulse Disorder. Johnny didn’t know what that was. Ali knew because she wanted to be a doctor, she was smart like that. 

It didn’t matter why he couldn’t focus anyway. He just needed something to do, something that didn’t involve his mom asking him questions about karate because that was the last thing he wanted to talk about.

Johnny could clean up the ceramic on his floor, but why should he bother. Sid had maids and the second Johnny went to sleep it would go back to the way it was anyway. God. Anything that he did now would be useless. 

He had to get out of here, but he still didn’t know how. He didn’t really think he could go to the library and find an instruction manual for all of this. And he couldn’t ask his friends. He already tried with Bobby and Bobby thought he was insane. 

For the first time ever, he was truly alone. He was starting to feel a little like it’d been that way all along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there is not much daniel yet, poor johnny hasn't figured that out yet, but dont worry, were getting there


	4. december 20, 1984. take four

Johnny wakes up choking on air. 

Fuck. Clearly avoiding his mom hadn’t worked, because here he was again. Maybe that wasn’t it. Well, obviously it wasn’t because it was still the 20th. Maybe instead of not telling her anything he should tell her the truth. If it doesn't work, she won’t remember anything he told her, so it’s a win-win. 

He gets dressed, and heads downstairs. His mom is making pancakes. Again. 

“Hey, you’re up early. How’d the fight go?”

Johnny slid up on the counter. This was the last thing he wanted to do, but he had to, “Not great.”

“Aw, baby, what happened?”

“Um, I lost. Which is fine. Second place isn’t all bad, and the other kid probably deserves to win more than I did. Bobby took out his knee, and I made it worse. I could have torn a ligament or worse. But I lost, but it was fine I handed him the trophy and was going to leave him alone. But as we leave Kreese kicks me off the team and he breaks my trophy and then he wraps his arm around my neck. I can’t breathe and I’m scared. I think the guys tried to help, but I was like. Losing consciousness. But Daniel’s sensei comes and he gets me out and Kreese punches the glass out of some cars. When I stand up I cut my hands,” Johnny coughs and holds his hand up to show his mom. 

Her eyes widen as she grabs the hand he's showing her, “Oh my god,” Johnny looks down, he knew she would be upset, “Why don’t I take you to the hospital.”

“I don’t-”

“It wasn’t a question. You’re going.”

Johnny didn’t want to argue. So he just nodded. She turned off the stove and grabbed her purse, Johnny followed her out the door and into her car. 

After she started driving, she spoke, “Johnny, I am so sorry I wasn’t there.”

“It’s not your fault, Mom.”

She looked over at him and smiled, “Hey, well now we get to spend the day together.”

“Yeah, guess we do.” 

He reached over and turned on the radio, resting his head against his seat.

They got to the emergency room and Johnny was forced to tell his story again, this time leaving names out. He didn’t want to get anybody in trouble. Then they did some tests or whatever. Making sure his eyesight was fine and it didn’t fuck up his brain. It was weird. They put him in a tube thing. Johnny didn’t think he liked it that much. It was kinda scary. The doctor also asked him questions, like about how he was feeling and if he was dizzy or whatever. Made sure his voice would return to normal. It might be a few days, but it would thank God. 

And they stitched his hand up. Johnny had stitches before, as a kid. He had been playing soccer in the parking lot of their apartment when he tripped and hit his head on a cinder block. He didn’t remember it that much. He just got a concussion and his mom was crushed under medical bills. This was before she married Sid, but she still had taken him out for ice cream. Let him get the rainbow sprinkles and the chocolate fudge, even though it cost extra and she had to pay thousands because he was clumsy. 

Johnny hoped to God that this would fix everything, because if it doesn’t, he just wasted his day in the hospital for nothing. If this doesn’t work, he’ll have to come back again. Which isn’t ideal because for one he’s already done this, but whatever, he’ll do what he has too and won’t complain. Well, he might complain a little, but he was only human after all.

Johnny’s hand was numb, which was a weird feeling. He thought about jerking off, but then he might tear the stitches, which might make it all worse, so he crossed off that idea. 

They’d spent all day in the hospital and Johnny was exhausted. He danced the edge of sleep as they drove home, but Johnny didn’t want to fall asleep just yet. 

“Hey mom? I love you.”

“Love you too, baby. Glad I got to spend time with you, even if it was in the ER.”

“I’m glad too. I miss spending time with you.”

“I know. I miss spending time with you too. I’m sorry we don’t get to do it much anymore.”

“It’s okay.”

And Johnny fell asleep, feeling better than he had when he woke up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> johnny and laura day <3


	5. december 20, 1984. take five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i started this chapter different than the rest im a little unsure about it but let me know what yall think about it

When Johnny woke up, it was the same. Again. He was already feeling like he was losing track of the days spent and it hadn’t even been a week yet. He went downstairs and ate his mom’s pancakes, and went back to his room to think. He thought about yesterday, well not his yesterday, everyone else's yesterday, and tried to figure it out that way. 

The people who were the biggest parts of yesterday were the Cobras, LaRusso, and Kreese. Johnny figured he’d deal with the Cobras first, and if that didn’t work he’d just go down the line from most to least bearable. It wasn’t a great plan but it was all he had. He really hoped he wouldn't have to get to Kreese, but somehow Johnny wouldn’t doubt it if he was some witch who was punishing him for losing. 

Johnny called his friends, inviting them out for lunch then to the beach. They all agreed to meet him at noon. This was going to be easy. All he had to do was act normal and like, talk through his problems or something, which wasn’t something he normally did with anyone let alone his friends, but it would be fine. 

When Johnny showed up, Bobby and Jimmy were already there. They were always early to anything, just like how Johnny knew Dutch was going to be late and Tommy would be right on time. It was just how it was and Johnny liked that he knew what to expect from them. The second Johnny sat down, Bobby shot him a look, “How are you feeling, man?”

Johnny shrugged, “Tied. Couldn’t sleep.”

“Are you sure? Because you know you can talk to us right?” 

“Yes, I know. I will, just not right now.”

“As long as you know you can.”

When the rest of the guys arrived, they finally got to order. They got milkshakes and cheese fries to split and Johnny felt surprisingly normal. They talked about Tommy’s new girlfriend, and Jimmy’s new car, and the Playboy that Dutch stole, but they didn’t talk about the tournament, or Ali, or karate. It wasn’t really what Johnny expected, but he didn’t mind. He was tired of thinking about himself, having to fill his own silence. Dutch was off, but he’s been like that recently.

They didn’t talk about it, not really, but Dutch hasn’t been himself for a while now. When they first met him, he was quiet, not shy like Jimmy was, but he didn’t talk. Turned out his mom had just walked out on them, he was angry and Kresse liked it, turned him into a damn good fighter. He didn’t strategize like Bobby did and he wasn’t as controlled as Johnny, but he was ruthless. He broke Johnny’s nose when they were sparring one time, and Johnny had to go get it set. Hurt like hell. 

So, yeah, he’s always been angry, but recently he’s been extra weird and cagey about it and Johnny wasn’t sure what it was about, but what did Johnny know about anything. 

Even if Dutch was acting weird, they still had their routine. Normally they’d do this after practice, but since none of them had practice anymore, they had to change it up. 

Johnny sipped his milkshake, it was chocolate. He got it every time, and it was just as good each time. They each had their regulars, Bobby got strawberry, Tommy got banana, Dutch got vanilla, and Jimmy got oreo. Normally they would pass them around and take sips of each other’s. Most guys didn’t do things like that, afraid it would make them look like a queer. None of them really worried about that, Johnny has shared a bed with Bobby at sleepovers since they met years ago. Johnny guesses they’re cool with it because they’ve spent huge parts of their life in locker rooms, and besides if anyone gave them shit for it they could kick their asses, so it didn’t really matter what anyone said. 

Ali would joke that if he wasn’t dating her, she’d think he was dating one of the guys. Johnny never cared too much, who cared what other people thought about what he did.

Sure, there were definitely things he didn’t tell anyone about, like how sometimes he found the guy better looking than the girl in movies, but everyone did that. It didn’t mean anything. 

They finished up their fries and milkshakes, and piled in Johnny’s car. He had the nicest out of all of them, Bobby drove an old truck his dad had given him, not old in a nice way either, old as in the paint was all rusted and you had to pray that the car started, Dutch’s car wasn’t much better, he’d built the engine himself and Johnny was sure one day it would just fall apart. Jimmy drove his mom's station wagon, which was definitely out of the question. So Johnny’s car it was. It wasn’t warm enough to get in the water, Johnny couldn’t anyway, but it was warm enough for them to lay without their shirts on a hit on girls, which was good enough for them. They laid under an umbrella, which had been rendered useless due to the lack of sun, on colorful beach towels while he chased pretty brunettes with his eyes. 

Johnny thinks, this is a good day. Even if life doesn’t go back to normal after this, at least they had the sand and their milkshakes and pretty girls at the beach.


	6. december 20, 1984. take six

The next day was the same. Same dream, same time, same pancakes, same argument. Johnny didn’t want to do this, but he knew that was what was next on Johnny’s mental list, so Johnny pulled on jeans and got in his car. 

He already had a general idea where LaRusso lived from Halloween, so it didn’t take too much work to find the apartment number. It was still early, Johnny wasn’t even sure if he was going to be awake when he got there, but Johnny could wait. 

Standing in front of LaRusso’s door felt weird, lhe considered going home, but that wouldn’t really get him anywhere. It’s already been a week stuck in a single day and Johnny was getting tired of it. So he knocked. 

Daniel did not open the door. It was his mom. Which was much worse in Johnny’s opinion, because he knew if someone did to him what he did to LaRusso, his mom would be pissed. 

She gave him a look, “What?”

“Um, is Daniel here?” 

“Why do you want him?” 

Johnny shifted slightly, he thought about booking it back to his car but that would make him look guilty, “I just wanted to say I’m sorry.”

“A little late for that,” She muttered, but turned into the apartment, “Daniel! Someone’s here to see you!” 

Johnny could see Daniel limp into the living room and winched a little. He did that. Well, some of it, but still. 

“Johnny?” Daniel leans against the door and raises an eyebrow, “What are you even doing here? Come to make my life even worse? Maybe break my knee for real this time?”

“I didn’t do that- whatever, it doesn’t matter. I just wanna say sorry.”

“Okay. Then say it.”

Johnny wishes he wasn’t trying to be a better person, because if he wasn’t he’d punch LaRusso right now, “I’m sorry.” 

Daniel shrugged, “You want something to eat?” Johnny stood, dumbfounded, “What? You coming or not, Lawrence. I don’t have all day.”

Johnny stepped into the apartment, it was small, but it still felt more like a home than his house did though Johnny thought even a cardboard box could do that. 

Daniel made his way into the kitchen, opening the cabinets, “We got mac and cheese, cereal, and soup. What do you want? Ma’s about to leave for work, so don’t worry about her.”

“Um? Whatever you want I guess.”

“You don’t have to be weird about it John. I just have some manners and you came all the way here. We don’t gotta be friends or nothing,” Johnny guesses that’s fair, “You can sit down, I’m not gonna like, kill you or something”

Johnny sat on the couch, “I didn’t really think you were going to, but now you have me worried.”

“Well, best be on your best behavior then, because I just might,” Daniel’s mom came out of what Johnny assumed was her bedroom, kissed Daniel on the cheek, glared at Johnny and was out the door, “I think I’ll make mac and cheese.”

Johnny felt weird about this, Daniel was making Johnny mac and cheese all in the sake of hospitality. Daniel didn’t even accept his apology, but he was cooking for him. Johnny wasn’t sure he liked it. 

Daniel put the water on to boil and sat on the couch next to Johnny, “Anything good on TV?”

“How would I know?”

Daniel shrugged, “Dunno, just thought you might have some recommendations.”

Johnny shook his head, “I don’t watch much TV. More of a music person.”

Daniel turned on some game show that Johnny wasn’t all that interested in and Daniel got up to finish the mac and cheese. He grabbed two bowls from the counter before filling them both up and bringing one to Johnny. 

“I love mac and cheese. My dad used to make it, he was a real good chef.”

“You don’t have many friends do you?”

“You should know that considering you’ve been obsessed with me all year.”

“I was not obsessed with you-”

“You don’t have to lie to me. It’s okay. I know the truth.”

“Yeah whatever man. Believe what you want.”

“Seeing is believing man, and I definitely saw it. Experienced it even.”

Johnny rolled his eyes, did LaRusso ever shut up? About anything? Johnny suspects he could mention something that only three people in the world knew about and he would find a way to talk for hours about it. Johnny mentioned that to him and he didn’t have all too much to say about that.

Johnny finished his mac and cheese, sat his bowl in the sink, and then he left. 

The entire drive home, Johnny thought about what happened at LaRusso’s. It was weird, being able to joke around with him like they were buddies when that couldn’t be further from the truth. Maybe in some alternate timeline they could be friends. 

Wait. Johnny had an idea. 

He had to befriend Daniel LaRusso.


	7. december 20, 1984. take six. part two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so this chapter is pretty short because i split this chapter and last one into two parts solely for the reason that i told myself i would finish this chapter and post it yesterday but then i got tired and knew if i didn't at least finish part of my task i would most likely take forever to get it done

First thing Johnny had to do was figure out how he was supposed to form a friendship in one day, especially with the damage he had already caused. He could tell Daniel the truth, but that might get annoying having to do that everyday for however long it takes to do this. 

LaRusso did seem a little crazy, so maybe he would believe it, but Johnny couldn’t be sure about that. It didn’t hurt to try once or twice. Johnny wasn’t even sure this would work or that LaRusso would want to be his friend even if it would, but it was the best chance he had at getting out of this thing, so what did he have to lose? Even if he fucked something up he had the next day to do it all over again. 

Johnny had two options. He could complain about it, or he could just do it. 

Fuck.

LaRusso seemed friendly enough when Johnny stopped by, he made lunch for him and everything, so it shouldn’t be too hard, but Daniel was a little shit, so it might be a bigger challenge than Johnny thought. 

If this whole thing truly relied on LaRusso, he was never getting out of this mess. LaRusso would make this harder than necessary and Johnny would have to spend the rest of his life here. He would never never get to see a new movie or listen to a new song. It would all be shit he already heard for the rest of his life. He’d never be able to legally drink either. 

When Johnny got home he called Bobby. 

“How would I become friends with LaRusso?”

Bobby sighed, “Hey, Bobby. How are you Bobby? I’m good thanks for asking Johnny, how are you?”

“Okay whatever, answer the question.”

“I don’t know man, it’s not like I’m friends with him.”

“I know, I just, you’re better at this thing than I am. You know. Friendship.”

“Just apologize and try to be nice ya know, don’t push it too much. Don’t act like you do when it’s just you and Dutch.” 

“Okay, thanks. Sorry.”

“Hey, it’s okay. Maybe one day I’ll come along and talk to him. I feel real bad about what I did.”

“It isn’t your fault.”

“I know, I just wish I hadn't done it, ya know? It goes against all my morals and I don’t even know why I did it.

Johnny wasn’t good at advice, he didn’t know what he was doing, how was he supposed to help someone else. But Bobby was his best friend, so he had to try, “Listen, Bobby, it’s not your fault. It was Sensei’s. Don’t beat yourself up over it.”

“You’re right. Thanks Johnny.”

“Thank you, man. I’ll talk to you later.”


	8. december 20, 1984.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> had some writers block so i wrote some daniel pov. this is johnny's 7th thursday

Daniel didn’t sleep last night. He got his knee put back in place after he won, it hurt like hell, almost as bad as when it got taken out. Almost. Bobby stopped by and apologized like a million times before leaving to catch up with his friends. Then when he walked outside Mr. Miyagi had to stop Kreese from strangling Johnny, which was kinda jarring if Daniel’s being honest. He knew Kreese was a psychopath just from his limited experience, but if he didn’t know it before he sure knew it now.

Daniel wasn’t going to start feeling bad for Johnny or anything now. He did push him down a cliff. And beat him up. Multiple times. But it was water under the bridge now, he could finally get on with his final year of highschool without worrying about Johnny Lawrence and his goons. 

At least that’s what he thought until Johnny showed up at his front door. 

Johnny really reminded Daniel of someone, but he couldn’t place his finger on it. That was until Johnny was standing in front of him, looking at his expensive shoes. He reminded Daniel of his friend from Jersey. His name was Eddie. He was a few years older than Daniel and he dyed his dark hair blonde, he taught Daniel about what girls like in bed. One day when they were hanging out, he leaned over and kissed Daniel.

Oh yeah, right. Johnny Lawrence. At his front door.

“Johnny? What are you doing here? Come to break my knee for real this time?”

“What? No. Listen, I’m sorry. Why don’t you let me take you out to lunch to make it up. I’ll pay.”

“You better.” Daniel sighed, stepping back. He wasn’t going to turn down free food, “Just come in while I get dressed.”

Johnny nodded, heading to sit on the couch. He seemed uncomfortable, and Daniel couldn’t blame him. Daniel was pretty good at getting dressed by now, he’s been doing it all his life, so he didn’t take too long. 

Daniel was a little hesitant to follow Johnny to the car, but Daniel’s never been real good at making responsible decisions, so he did. Johnny had a nice car, he seemed to take pride in it too. Daniel didn’t blame him, he took hell of a lot of pride in his car too. 

Johnny didn’t tell him where he was taking him, which should have been concerning but Daniel couldn’t be bothered to care. Not when Johnny had an impressive looking music collection. 

Johnny must have seen him eyeing it, because he said “You can look through it, but if you break something I will kill you.”

Something told Daniel he wasn’t joking. 

Johnny had some good stuff, pretty much something from every genre, some of the tapes had clearly been made for him too, one of them had “To Johnny, Happy Birthday ❤️” written in neat handwriting that Daniel recognized as Ali’s, another just had a badly drawn picture of a snake. 

“This is pretty impressive, Johnny.”

“Yeah, been collecting for years.” Daniel could tell, some of them looked pretty well used. Daniel watched as Johnny drummed his fingers against the wheel. 

“Are we almost there? Because, I was promised food, and it’s looking more and more like you’re taking me out to kill me, and believe it or not, I do in fact value my life and would like to see tomorrow.”

“You and me both, and you can be quiet because it’s just over there.”

Johnny gestured with his free hand, it was all cut open and Daniel was shocked it wasn’t bleeding, “What happened to your hand?”

“Oh, turns out glass and flesh don’t mix too well.”

“Oh,” For once Daniel didn’t know what to say, “Sorry?”

“It’s whatever.”

“Are you sure you should be taking me out to eat? Maybe you should get that looked at, it could get infected.”

“I already went, no big deal.”

“And they left you looking like that?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“Maybe you should sue. Not that you really need the money, but it’s always nice to have right? Share with me to cover the cost of my emotional damages?”

“Do you want food or not?”

Daniel shut up. Sitting quietly enough for Johnny to get where they were going. He pulled into the parking lot of some diner, it was small and honestly kinda run down, it didn’t seem too much like a place where Johnny would hang out, but what did Daniel know? 

Daniel followed Johnny into the restaurant, sitting down at a booth. A waitress came up to them immediately after they sat down, “Hey Johnny, what can I get for you today?”

“Can I get a chocolate milkshake and a burger?”

“Sure, anything for your friend?”

“I’ll have a vanilla milkshake and fries.”

“Alright, I'll bring that right out to you two,” She smiled at them. She was really pretty, dark hair and blue eyes, but Daniel had a girlfriend and Johnny didn’t seem to care too much. Huh.

“This is where I used to come after practice with the guys, the food is good I promise.”

“I guess I’ll be getting the proof for it soon enough. How do you even know about this place?”

“Oh me and the guys come here after practice. We used to go to the place across from the dojo but didn't feel like running into you.”

When the food did come, Johnny was right, it was good. He dipped his fries in his shake and Johnny looked at him like he was crazy. Sue him, it was good. 

“I was starving, didn’t really feel like cooking either, but I can’t drive for a few weeks, thanks to somebody.”

“Hey, that wasn’t me. And Bobby feels really bad about it, you know.”

“Yeah I know, he apologized to me after.”

“He’s a good guy, believe it or not. You shouldn’t blame him for it.”

Daniel didn’t think Johnny was going to be so defensive over his friends, but he didn’t know too much about Johnny to begin with. 

They finished their food and Johnny drove him back home, Daniel stopped before getting out of the car, “Hey, thanks for buying, man”

“No problem.” Johnny seemed like he meant it. Huh.

Daniel regretted saying that this wasn’t so bad, maybe Johnny wasn’t as bad as he thought to begin with. Who knew.

**Author's Note:**

> you can find me on tumbr [here](https://v4mpirelest4t.tumblr.com/)


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